


A First Date

by Bookworm1063



Series: CO Countdown 2020 [18]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28035783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookworm1063/pseuds/Bookworm1063
Summary: I’m waiting in my car outside of Niall’s house now. He’s standing on the porch, making excuses to his mother. Probably something about how he’s off to a football match with his mates, and his parents shouldn’t wait up. They don’t even play football in the winter, but I doubt his parents know that.Eventually, Niall’s mum goes back inside, and then Niall’s opening the side door of my car and getting in.Dev and Niall go on a first date.
Relationships: Dev/Niall (Simon Snow)
Series: CO Countdown 2020 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026988
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19
Collections: Carry On Countdown 2020





	A First Date

**Dev**

I’ve never been on a real date before.

I’ve been on _dates_ , but never ones like these, where I’m nervous because I’m actually interested in the person, and not because I might be expected to kiss someone I don’t want to kiss.

It’s all a fancy way of saying I’ve never been out with a bloke. It was on the list of things we—Baz, Niall, and I—didn’t talk about. Though one Christmas, Baz and I got drunk and had a lively debate about who the gayer cousin was. I think it’s the only time it’s ever come up.

Other things the three of us don’t talk about—Grimm family secrets (Baz and I aren’t allowed to tell Niall), Pitch family secrets (because Baz isn’t allowed to tell us), Blackwell family secrets (my mother’s family. I’m not allowed to tell them), and feelings (mine for Niall, Niall’s for me, Baz’s for Simon Snow).

I guess we’re allowed to talk about that last one now. Part of it, anyway. Baz would still kill either of us for bringing up the Snow thing.

I’m waiting in my car outside of Niall’s house now. He’s standing on the porch, making excuses to his mother. Probably something about how he’s off to a football match with his mates, and his parents shouldn’t wait up. They don’t even play football in the winter, but I doubt his parents know that.

Eventually, Niall’s mum goes back inside, and then Niall’s opening the side door of my car and getting in.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey,” I say.

For a moment, we’re quiet. Then I put the car in reverse.

The moment we’re out of sight of the house, Niall puts his hand on my knee. I smile.

We end up in London, at a little ice cream place even though it’s two days before Christmas and freezing outside. Niall gets vanilla with sprinkles, and I get a scoop of strawberry and a scoop of chocolate in a bowl with every topping they have.

“I don’t know how you eat all that,” Niall says.

“And I don’t know how you suffer through plain vanilla,” I say. “There’s a whole world of flavors out there.”

“And yet you went for the other two basic ones.”

He’s right, so I let it go.

“Dev,” Niall says.

“Yeah?”

“This isn’t going to make things weird, is it? With us and Baz and everything?”

I don’t answer right away, because I honestly don’t know. It very well could. Baz isn’t going to mind that we’re dating, obviously, but that doesn’t mean he won’t feel like a third wheel.

“I don’t know,” I say. “I mean, he’s my cousin, and our best friend. I don’t think it will be that weird… after a while.”

“Okay,” Niall says. “Just checking. Let’s stop talking about Baz now.”

“Okay,” I repeat. I’d been sitting across from him; I move a chair over so I’m next to him, because I want to and it seems like the thing to do. I take his free hand—the one he’s not using to eat ice cream.

“I like this,” I admit.

“Me too,” Niall says.

I take my last bite of ice cream and clear away both of our bowls. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Sure,” Niall says.

It’s not snowing, but there’s a dense cloud cover overhead, so we might get lucky.

Niall and I walk hand in hand through London. I’m not even sure where we are at this point, but every now and then, we’ll pass something in a store window, or some bit of architecture, or a street performer, that I’d never seen before. I need to get out into Normal London more.

“It’s great being away from the drama,” Niall said. “I’d forgotten how much Watford sucks sometimes.”

I nod. “Yeah. I didn’t even know half this stuff was here.” I gesture to the buildings and streets around us. “I’m planning the next date. I want to see more of this.”

“So there’s going to be a next date?” Niall asks.

“Yeah,” I say. “If you want.” 

“I’m okay with that,” Niall says.

We keep walking, even as the sun starts to set.


End file.
